Concerns Linc Energy may never pay fines

UPDATE: IN THE aftermath of the Linc pollution scandal, environmental activists found some common ground with the LNP, both blasting the Government on Friday.

Linc was fined a record $4.5 million for causing environmental damage with its underground coal gasification activities at Chinchilla.

"This is a mess of Labor's creation," the LNP's Deb Frecklington said on Friday.

"They should never have approved this project."

Ms Frecklington said the LNP welcomed the district court decision but "no amount" of money could make up for the fact "Labor got it wrong".

Lock the Gate alliance spokeswoman Vicki Perrin said Friday's judgment sent "a strong message" to other mining companies in Queensland.

But the alliance called for tougher standards to prevent a repeat of the disaster.

"The Queensland Government needs to stop approving every mining and gas project that comes before it, and set higher standards in the early stages before we end up with another mess like this," Ms Perrin said.

Lock the Gate also said it was "deeply concerned" about Linc Energy's ability to pay the $4.5 million, given the firm was in liquidation."